Of Wolves and Men
by Cuinawen
Summary: When Draco is bitten by Greyback he ends up in the last place he ever wanted to be... with Harry at Grimmauld Place. Set right after HBP. Features a lot about werewolves. Rating and warnings are for later chapters. HD Slash eventually. *ON HIATUS*
1. Blood Moon

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, her various publishers, and Warner Bros., Inc. No copyright or trademark infringement is intended. I'm not making any money from this, I'm just having some fun.

Many thanks to my beta Kudra

** Chapter One: Blood Moon  
**

The dark wooded lane was silent and lit only by starlight. A lone fox sniffed around and an owl hooted somewhere in the forest that bordered the edge of the muddy path. Suddenly the fox cocked its head and then bolted as someone came crashing through the nearby undergrowth disturbing the peaceful night.

A young blonde wizard burst out from the trees and ran, panting, up the lane. He was followed momentarily by a large scruffy man with matted grey hair who was almost growling as he ran.

The young blonde reached a hill and started to struggle upwards. With a grimace he turned and pointed his wand back over his shoulder shouting the first incantation he could think of.

"_IMPEDIMENTA_!"

The rangy grey man that had been chasing him fell awkwardly, and shouted loudly.

"You can't get away! You'll see what it means to be a blood-traitor, Malfoy!"

Draco Malfoy just carried on running as he heard the heavy footfalls behind him begin again. He thought he was gaining some ground until his pursuer let out a shout of triumph that chilled him.

"You foolish brat! The moon is rising. Get ready to _really _ run."

Draco looked up to the sky and to his horror saw the bright, full July moon appearing on the horizon. Before he could do anything he heard a ferocious growl behind him.

The large, ugly grey wolf leapt at him, and with reflexes born of being a Seeker, Draco dodged sideways. Teeth clacked together where Draco had been a second before, and the wolf hit the ground rolling. He snarled and lunged again, sinking his teeth into the boy's leg. Draco screamed with pain as sharp teeth pierced his leg and pointed his wand down.

"_PETRIFICUS TOTALUS_!"

Luckily his spell was strong enough to send the wolf flying backwards, rigid as a board.

Without looking back Draco carried on running, although it became closer to hobbling. Tears leaked from his eyes as white-hot pain shot from his leg right through him, and blood ran down his leg filling his shoe. When he thought he was far enough away he dropped to the ground, tore strips from his robe and gingerly pulled his trouser leg from where it had stuck to the wetness on his leg. The deep wounds ran up his calf and around his knee and the blood made his leg shine almost black in the moonlight. He cringed when he saw how much was there. Gritting his teeth he tied the strips of cloth tightly round his leg, both covering the wounds and staunching the blood flow.

After a moment Draco stood shakily, whimpering at the pain throughout his body. He was just aware enough to cast a cleaning charm on the grass where he'd stopped, removing all traces that he'd been there.

Huddling into his tattered robes he began limping heavily. He had to get to the Manor.

Harry stood at his window staring out at the full moon rising above the London skyline. The rising howls coming from downstairs although muffled were making him shiver. He couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was happening.

He shook himself mentally. Remus was safe locked in an old office downstairs. He had taken some Wolfsbane Potion but Harry judged from the noise that it hadn't worked very well. Remus had told him that Wolfsbane was expensive and unreliable unless it was made for you, and the last person to make it was no longer available.

Harry scowled as his old Potions master's face swam through his mind. The last person he wanted to think of was Snape. All it did was make him angry and remind him of how much he missed Albus Dumbledore.

With a sigh, Harry shifted and sat on the broad wooden sill. He rested his head against the cool glass and tried to ignore the feeling in the pit of his stomach that something was wrong. That something big or important was happening somewhere.

_Whatever it is, _ he thought sadly, _things can't get much worse.  
_

Fenrir Greyback sat up from where he was laying in the damp grass and stretched. He was furious. The moon had gone down and the sky was lightening, leaving him back in his human form, and his prey was long gone. He was unsurprised when several loud pops announced the arrival of Voldemort and his inner circle.

"Greyback," Voldemort hissed quietly, "You seem to have developed a habit of incompetence; first you were almost caught at that school, and now this. Did you at least bite the boy before he escaped you?"

Fenrir nodded and stood up, smirking as a couple of the Death Eaters edged away slightly. "Yes, my Lord, I nearly ripped his leg off before the brat cursed me."

"Good, this could still work in our favour. You have not failed me completely." The snakelike voice continued, "Alecto, Amycus, have you been to his home and left the message we discussed?"

"Yes, my Lord," A wheezy voice answered, "her body lies waiting as we speak."

"Yes, I fully expect he'll try and get to his home if he survives. I would like for him to see the real price of failure before his death." Voldemort nodded, satisfied. "I trust the manor will be watched for his arrival."

A hooded figure stepped forward, nodded, and Disapparated as he continued.

"Good, good. Now, we have much more to do."

Severus Snape appeared outside the gates to the Malfoy's Wiltshire estate and stared around uneasily. The gates to the sprawling grounds were standing open, which he had never seen in all the times he'd been here. Lucius had always been overzealous with his security and would have never allowed such a thing.

With a final glance around, the errant Potions master hurried across the rolling green lawns to the heavy front doors. Although shut, they opened at a push and, mentally steeling himself for what he would see, he stepped into the gloomy entranceway.

His boots clattered on the marbled floor and, as he got used to the darkness that pervaded the normally bright room, he could see watery eyes staring at him.

"Come forward," he snapped irritably. "I have little patience for games."

A tiny house-elf stepped towards him, wringing its hands and quailing under his piercing glare.

"Where is Narcissa?" Snape demanded.

"They is killing her," the elf squeaked hysterically, "They is saying Master Draco is to see her." Sobs wracked the tiny body and it sniffled loudly before continuing. "We is putting her in there." A shaking hand pointed to a room just off the entrance hall.

Snape nodded curtly and swept into the room indicated. He was relieved to see that the elves had looked after her, and Narcissa Malfoy looked almost like she was sleeping.

He stared down at her body for a moment lost in his memories. _She had wanted no part in this mess _he thought._ Never wanted her son to be involved either, and yet they have both been dragged into this war.  
_

He had watched Draco try to pretend it was what he had wanted; his godson had spent years spouting his father's words, doing what had been expected of him.

Snape felt a pang of guilt as he remembered encouraging the boy in his hatred of people, particularly Harry Potter. He realised the irony that Potter was perhaps Draco's best chance at survival.

He had hated the Gryffindor golden boy for his likeness to his father, for his attitude to rules and schoolwork, and even for rejecting the house he presided over, although he wasn't strictly supposed to know about that, nor was anyone else. _Oh how Minerva would have enjoyed that knowledge_. He grimaced.

Potter junior was like his father, true, but he had also proven himself many times. He still had much to learn, but the potential was there with the right guidance.

Yes, that was where Draco would go, Snape decided. If Potter could find it in himself to help an enemy, then his godson would perhaps be protected.

_Now if only Draco can put aside his own petty hatred…  
_

Draco Malfoy approached the Malfoy Manor limping heavily. As he neared the gates he was surprised to see them hanging open, and with worry gnawing at him he desperately hurried across the lawns and staggered into the entrance of his home, oblivious to the glittering black eyes watching him. He stumbled into the front hall and stopped dead when he saw the darkness of the room.

"Mother? Are you here? MOTHER?" Draco almost screamed in panic. A light from the side room caught his eye and he limped cautiously towards it. The feeling of dread grew as he stepped into the quiet room.

His mother, usually so full of life, stared at him with blank dead eyes. His mouth opened in a silent scream and he slid to the floor as the realisation that it had all been for nothing flooded him. He had been branded a killer and hunted like an animal, and it hadn't saved her - it hadn't helped anyone. Shocked and exhausted, he slumped over unconscious, completely unaware of the figure stalking towards him.

Severus Snape lifted his black hood back and examined his godson; he looked awful and yet he was lucky to be alive. Frowning at the blood that soaked the boy's leg he hauled him up, knowing that it wasn't safe for him to be here. He could deal with Narcissa's body later, attempt to bury her properly or make sure she was found, but his priority was to try and get the deathly pale blonde in his arms to someone who would help him, as in his position he could not.

With a grimace at what he was about to do, he settled Draco's weight against him and Apparated them both to London.

They arrived in Grimmauld Place just as the sun was rising. Snape kept his eyes open for anyone watching and dropped the smaller wizard to the floor opposite number twelve. Bending down, he slipped a roll of parchment into his godson's pocket and, hoping that he would be found by someone soon enough, got ready to leave.

"Take care of him, Potter," he muttered darkly glancing at the Black house, an ugly scowl on his face. "He could be more helpful than even you will realise... if you're not too foolish to accept it."

T.B.C.

Any and all reviews would be welcome!


	2. A Difficult Beginning

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, her various publishers, and Warner Bros., Inc. No copyright or trademark infringement is intended. I'm not making any money from this, I'm just having some fun.

Thanks to my beta Kudra

** Chapter Two: A Difficult Beginning  
**

Harry jolted awake as the sunlight streamed in the window and hit his face. As he stretched he glanced out of the window and froze.

_It couldn't be…  
_

Out in the street there was a shadowy figure bending over what looked like a large heap of rags. As he watched, the figure turned to face the house and Harry jumped up.

"Snape?"

Something from the night before clicked into place and without a second thought; Harry reached for his wand and tore out of his bedroom and down the stairs, barefoot. He hurtled past Remus, who was yawning at the foot of the stairs, and threw open the front door, running into the deserted street.

Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he walked slowly across the street to see exactly what Snape had risked coming there for and what he saw made him stop dead in surprise.

He was still standing there stunned when Remus, who had come running out after him, appeared at his side. "Harry! You know you're supposed to stay inside! What are you doing out here?"

As he looked down, the werewolf realised there was a boy lying there, and one he recognised.

"That's never the Malfoy boy?" he gasped.

Harry nodded grimly, "Yeah it's him. He looks hurt."

"You're probably right, I can smell blood," Remus frowned. "But we really shouldn't be standing around out here, and I don't think we should leave him here either, something must have happened to him, maybe we can find out what."

"But Remus, that's Malfoy. He..." Harry suddenly remembered the feeling of pity he'd had for the prone boy in front of him, and seeing him now, deathly pale and covered in dirt and blood, it only intensified.

Sighing he turned to Remus. "If we take him in he still can't tell anyone where we are, right? I guess we at least should find out what happened, something tells me it could be important."

Remus glanced around, still looking troubled. "Okay. Come on, if he's unconscious I think we can get him inside."

Harry nodded his agreement, and between them they lifted the pale blond and hurried back into the house, both breathing a sigh of relief as the door closed behind them. Neither of them noticed a shadow in a nearby alleyway watching intently.

Snape pulled his hood tighter and allowed himself a wry smile as the door closed and number twelve disappeared from view. Potter had not disappointed him, and at least his godson would be safer now.

Once they had put the unconscious boy on a nearby sofa Remus turned to Harry.

"You shouldn't have gone out there Harry; it could have been a big mistake. There's no point in this place being protected if you're not inside it."

Harry nodded and sank into a nearby chair. "Sorry Remus, I just... I don't know why I just felt like I had to."

Remus eyed him sadly. "I know you feel trapped here and I'm sorry, but we only want to keep you safe."

"It's really not about that. I had a bad feeling last night, that something was happening. I think this might be what it was about, I can't explain it. Then I saw Snape."

"You went running out there after Snape? Do you realise how much you risked?"

"I know, but I don't think Snape would have brought him here without a good reason. Even I can see that Remus. Why would he bring him here, of all places?"

"I guess; if he's that badly hurt..." Remus trailed off as he noticed splashes of blood on the wooden floor. "Harry, he's bleeding everywhere. Get some water, clean cloths and bandages." He looked up. "Do we have any useful potions left?"

Harry nodded and hurried to get the supplies as Remus began gingerly trying to remove the tattered robes to get a better look. Revealing the crudely bound leg, he removed the bloody strips of cloth and instantly felt sick. Draco's leg was a bloody mess.

Remus moved back, looking pale as Harry walked back in. "It looks like he was bitten... well, savaged really. And of course it was a full moon last night."

"So Malfoy's a werewolf now?"

"More than likely, it looks like a wolf did this anyway. Let's get him cleaned up; hopefully it will heal enough for him to walk on it."

Some time and lots of blood soaked rags later, they had finally cleaned up and healed the smaller wounds. Malfoy had been covered with bruises and scratches underneath the dirt. The only two wounds they hadn't been able to heal were his bitten leg and a deep wound on his left forearm; both were heavily bandaged.

Draco lay quietly as he slowly woke up; he could hear someone whispering and strained to hear what they were saying. He was sure he recognised the voices, but his sleep-addled mind couldn't place them.

The bed he was in felt unfamiliar, as were the surrounding smells and noises. As panic rose in him, he twitched nervously and he couldn't stop the moan of pain that escaped him as his arm and leg suddenly felt as if they were on fire.

The nearby whispers stopped and he heard footsteps as the owners of those familiar voices came closer.

He slowly opened his eyes and tried to focus on the people standing at the foot of the bed. As they slid into focus he snapped his eyes shut with a desperate groan.

_ Not Potter... anyone but him.  
_

"Tell me this is a bad dream," he rasped.

A faint scowl formed as a familiar greying wizard stepped forward and handed him a glass of water, but he accepted it anyway, wincing at the soreness in his throat as he swallowed the cool liquid.

"You're not dreaming," the calm older wizard that he was sure he knew from somewhere said gently. "I'm afraid it looks like you were attacked."

Draco flinched and went pale. "You remember?" the gentle voice asked him and all he could do was nod numbly as fear flashed through him.

He dimly heard the same voice telling him to rest and as he felt his eyes closing again he struggled to speak.

"My mother?"

"Sorry lad, she's gone. They found her body a few days ago."

"What is _Potter _ doing here?"

"This is his home."

Draco had enough time to wonder how long he'd been out, and how he'd ended up staying with Potter, of all people, before sleep took him.

The next couple of days passed in a haze for Draco, an endless blur of potions and pain and new dressings on his wounds. The greying wizard that he still couldn't identify was there a lot, never saying much, just checking him over and bringing food that he could barely swallow, and he had woken several times in the night to find Potter in the room, sometimes watching him silently, more often reading quietly in a chair by the window, a dim light next to him.

Nightmares haunted his sleep, images of the tower and Dumbledore falling, his mother lying there, and being chased through the woods. Each time he woke sweating and shaking, his injured arm and leg throbbing, and to his horror he wasn't sure whether he was more afraid that he was waking up in Potter's house, or that he would wake up and feel safe here. The room was simple, with dark wood furniture and green drapes, and reminded him a little bit of the Slytherin dorms.

He had expected to be interrogated, asked questions he didn't know the answers to. Instead they took turns to silently watch over him, and the peace and quiet was soothing after everything that had happened.

Draco stayed uncharacteristically mute, curbing his usual insults and sneering attitude in favour of trying to figure out why he was being helped. He was glad for the time to heal and collect his thoughts, but the silence grew oppressive and he needed to know why he was here, why they hadn't turned him in, but was wary of starting a conversation that could end with him being handed over to the Ministry. Instead he carried on laying there quietly, trying to muster the courage to question either wizard about their motives.

A muffled curse late one night made Draco wake with a jump. Blinking at the room dazedly he saw the noise was coming from Potter, who had fallen asleep in the chair by the open window. As he watched, the boy thrashed about and moaned in his sleep, clearly in the middle of a nightmare.

If he'd been feeling himself he might have taken some enjoyment from seeing Potter suffer, but instead he just felt bewildered and almost sympathetic; his own dreams had been none too pleasant over the last year.

Just as he idly wondered whether he should try and wake him up, the sleeping boy thrashed violently once more and jerked awake, breathing rapidly and staring blankly round the room. As Draco watched, he brought up a hand to push his hair back and rub at his scar absently. He didn't even seem to realise he was being watched, or at least that's what Draco thought until the green eyes fixed on him suddenly.

_ There's no escaping this now, _ he thought uncomfortably

"Potter, what's going on? Why am I here?"

_ Oh well, guess I might be off to the Ministry after all. _ He shuddered as the dark-haired wizard turned away.

After a moment Harry glanced back at him and sighed tiredly rubbing his forehead again.

"You're here in my house because you were attacked and then dumped on my doorstep, and if you don't know what's going on, then you really didn't pay much attention to what you were doing for the last year."

"Your doorstep... you mean you actually do _own _ this house?" Draco was incredulous. "How?"

"Yes, I own this place; it was left to me, but that's really not the point." He was worn out and would rather have been doing anything than talking.

"So the reason you're keeping me in your house is...?"

At this Harry shifted uncomfortably, still not sure why himself.

"You were half-dead in the street outside, would you have preferred I left you there?" he asked coolly.

Draco shook his head, feeling confused. He'd never spoken with the Gryffindor civilly before and it unsettled him. Without thinking he asked, "Why aren't you shouting Potter? Or even cursing me?"

A ghost of a smile crossed the boy's face even as his eyes looked haunted.

"What's the point? It wouldn't help anything. We're both stuck in this house either way."

"Stuck here? Why am _I_ stuck here?"

Harry sighed, "It's not safe out there... for either of us now I guess. _You _ were left for dead, so what do you think would happen to _me _ if they found me?"

"But someone left me right outside. Surely _they _ must know where you are."

"It was Snape who left you here. He knows this place well but he can't tell anyone about it; it's too well protected. Anyone else could stare right at this house and not even see it. We only got you in because you were out of it."

Draco looked down at his leg, his mind racing. "How bad is it?" he suddenly asked, indicating his leg when Harry raised a questioning eyebrow. "Honestly Potter! What did you think I meant? Did you think I'd suddenly start talking to_ you _ about anything else?" he sneered suddenly.

Harry just rolled his eyes. "You'll walk again, at least Remus thinks so. You do know what happened, don't you?"

"Greyback. That's what happened," Draco snapped.

"Right... I'm sorry, stupid question. We weren't sure you would know, but of course you do... you'll have to get used to changing each full moon now, but you're not the only werewolf here."

Something finally clicked in Draco's mind, about the greying wizard he'd seen. "Wait. You mean the other guy here... I know him don't I? He's that professor who was a werewolf, isn't he?"

"You really don't pay much attention, do you?" Harry smirked faintly, "It took you long enough to remember him, and yes he was, and still is, a werewolf."

"Stuff it, scarhead! I've been asleep for the last week, but I guess _you _ wake up and know exactly what's going on," the blond spat angrily.

"No, I just don't often sleep."

Draco couldn't tell if he was joking or not.

"You should talk to Remus," Harry continued. "He'll be able to tell you more."

"About being an _animal_? Not interested. I don't need any _more _ help from you."

"Really? Got something else in mind, have you? I don't see anyone else rushing to save your arse. You're pretty low on options now Snape's dumped you here and your daddy's in Azkaban."

"And whose fault is that Potter?" Draco hissed. "_You _ put him there. All of this is your fault."

"My fault?" Harry laughed hollowly. "I didn't make your father who he is... he chose to follow Voldemort, since before I was born in fact." He held up a hand to stop Draco's protest. "Come on! You don't expect me to actually believe that crap about the Imperius Curse, especially since I heard him grovelling at Voldemort's feet myself. He made his own choices, even more than you did, but if you want to blame me then fine. It's only what everyone else does when things go wrong." Harry shrugged.

"Blame you? Of course I blame you! You're the goddamned Boy Who Lived; you're the Gryffindor golden boy. You get whatever you want because you're famous." Draco sat up, shaking with anger, momentarily forgetting the pain he was in. "You really think you're something special, don't you?"

Harry stared at him for a moment before suddenly laughing. "You actually think I get what I want?" he asked bitterly. "You think I _wanted _ my parents to be killed, that I wanted the same madman to try and kill me? I never wanted any of this; I never wanted to be famous... hell, I never even knew I was famous until I came to Hogwarts, and I _hate _it! I can't do anything without being watched or judged. You had _everything,_ Malfoy... your family had everything, and it's not _my _ fault they threw it away."

Draco blanched and looked away, unable to look Harry in the face.

"I never asked for any of this either, Potter," he mumbled

Harry sighed. "I don't think many people did, but we all just have to live with it."

"You know what happened to my mother?" It wasn't really a question.

"Yeah, it was in the _Prophet_. For what it's worth, I'm sorry she died."

"I saw her. It's the last thing I remember, before I woke up here I mean." He tried to sound indifferent but the quaver in his voice betrayed him, "They killed her because of me."

"Because you failed your mission?" Harry turned away, "Yes, I know exactly what your mission was. You almost killed two of my friends, and then you let the Death Eaters into the school; you let Greyback into the school. Do you even care about that? A lot people got hurt, some almost died because of you... and one person did die."

"I didn't _let _ Greyback in, I didn't want him there, and I didn't kill Dumbledore!" Draco's voice rose.

"No. You were going to... but you lowered your wand at the last minute. _You _ didn't kill him, Snape did."

Draco stared at Harry, his eyes narrowing suspiciously. "How do you know all that?"

"I was there on the tower that night. I saw everything. I saw how scared you were."

"Shut up!" he protested half-heartedly.

"Malfoy, the fact that I know that is the only reason I didn't leave you out on the street to die. You're a lot of things, but at least you're not a cold-blooded killer."

"You've changed, Potter."

Harry shrugged "Things are different now. Change is necessary for survival."

"Afraid of dying, are you?"

"It's not fear Malfoy, it's acceptance. I know what's out there; I've already faced it. and I'll face it again when I have to. Can you say that?"

The blond shook his head "I don't want to face him again."

"Neither do I," Harry agreed. "But Voldemort is coming after me anyway, so I might as well be prepared for it, and give him the best fight I can."

Draco stared at Potter as he went back to the window and sat down heavily. Realising the conversation was over; he lay back awkwardly and watched the skinny, dark-haired wizard reading for a while, trying to figure out what exactly had just happened. Why were they suddenly acting almost civil to each other, and why was Potter suddenly making a lot more sense to him? Just as he drifted back to sleep, he realised that he hadn't asked Potter what he'd been dreaming about.

T.B.C

Thanks and big hugs to everyone who has reviewed so far, I really appreciate it!


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